Page 99 - Scrimshaw1976-77

Friday, February 18, 1977 Scrimshaw Remw._ ."M:'kB'V!'Ver3'deep and serious "aws in KOOTS" Now that ABC-TV's mammoth municated. Not only is the roughly- Burton, a 19-year-old drama person, but it certaimy didn't make teaching it, perhaps they would've 12-hour presentation of Black tsu-page coverage of Kunta's student recruited for the role of the everyone who profited by it a gotten more our of it than the child history has made network ratings Gamgian childhood and young Kunta, makes very monster. The wntte-man-as-devn did! history, Roots will undoubtedly development as a warrior sloppily believable the rage and the spirit of approach was both logically and . continue to take a major place in compressed into little more than a warrior who never forgot who he artistically valid in Haley's book The obvious (and often- c ort ee-t.a b l e discussion, an hour's time in order to "get the was. Louis Gossett and Ben Vereen because all of the narrative was repeated) answer to a f.riti.cism sociological analysis and story moving." (particularly as, respectively, the Fiddler and delivered from the viewpoint of the such as this (which has III Itself philosophizing by middle-class inexcusable in a tz-hour show, of Kunta's grandson Chicken George, slaves themselves A TV probably been repeated too much) news 'magazines for quite a while all things! l, but the filmmakers add substantial dimension as well presentation that tries instead to is that the TV presentation of Roots On the surface, there was much don't even try to communicate as more than a little love to what present the view of slavery from is a sort of Gone With the Wind told about the special that really was Kunta's relationships with his might have in other hands been both. sides in l!pstairs, Downstairs from the other side. Those who special, and warrants regard as father, his peers, and his baby only comic-relief roles. In lesser fashion runs into a trap when it point to the Black stereo-typing in such. ~irst and most importantly, brother, which was scrupulously roles, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs tries simultaneously to humanize that movie tend to forget that the Roqts IS based on Alex Haley's described by Haley. Thus the completely erases his supercool- its monsters and to deny any White characters, ridiculously excellent best-seller, a deeply poignancy of such bonds being Sweathog image in the role of a streak of humanness on their preoccupied with Iost-and-Iound personal account of 'American arbitrarily and callously broken desperate young slave on the run, parts. romances in the midst of the history as seen by the descendants forever doesn't come across with and Cicely Tyson, amazing as Not only is this endless iden- Atlanta holocaust are equally of Kunta Kinte, a Mandinka half as much force. always, contributes a whirlwind Of tification of the White person as insulting-and come off in 1976 as warrior ina small Gambian village Fortunately, this first episode unforced feeling to her portrayal of treacherous a racist standpoint in being a bit distressing when one who is captured and sold into was the worst of tne lot. Future Kunta's mother. Everything she is itself (and even hypocritical when realizes the degree to which White slavery--Kunta himself being not shows in the series were quite called upon to do, from gushing we see one of the colonial audiences from 1939 on readily the fruition of a novelist's uneven, some coming off better and chattering enthusiastically at marketeers as a viciously identify with them ...and who ac- imagination but the actual result of than others-a result of using the return of her son from man- stereotyped mincing homosexual-- tually believe they're flattering years of effort on Haley's part to several different writers and hood training to her agonized and does this mean it's okay .tc themselves in doing so. This trace his ancestry. directors and segmenting the prolonged shriek at the discovery dremaucanv.Hberate one op- fracturing of history is a much Like the book, the TV special drama. There are several of losing him forever, represents a pressed minority while continuing more subtle and effective dig at the aroused much of its interest and moments in Roots which are ef- supreme model of internalization to oppress another?) but it plantation mentality than any controversy in an abnormally fective and powerful and which and self-identification. becomes absolutely deadly in that sadistic, whip-wielding redneck large audience by constant use of may partially justify all that it makes Roots unbearably that Roofs can offer up visceral devices. However, ap- national attention. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, the same praise predictable. After a few hours in Perhaps too much is being made praising the success of a program such effective scenes as Kunta's cannot be given by and large to the front of Roots, everybody knows jf these flaws, but they are im- in acc~mplishing huge ratings and first English words to the older White players. A large part of this that whatever White person is the portant in relation to a~y appraising its success Ill' ac- slave who is trying to de-Africanize owes to the fact that while most of guest star in tonight's episode discussion of the show's, SOCial compllshing several other goals it him ("Grits, dummy"), Kizzy's the Black performers vary in a hasn't tortured his or her slaves importance. The program. III fact, has hopefully set for itself are refusaltomarryafellowslavewho number of performance media, yet because he or she is trying to deserves cong:atulations for clearly two different things. Would doesn't share her concern with her most of the plantation owners, come up with some new atrocity moving along quickly and holding all of the current discussion about African heritage, and our slave sellers, captains, and night which will be presented shortly, interest throughout its 12-hour the impact of the most successful discovery of her father's grave-. riders seen here are also seen daily and that even the White characters length, and perhaps some Of. the TV program in hist~ry still be with his slave name 'Toby' marked or weekly in a regularly-identified who appear to show some sym- co.mpromise~ made to f~cil~t?te going on if indeed It had had out in favor of 'Kurita Kinte' all role, causing what one critic refers pathetic or well-meaning traits this accomplishment we:e justified nothing to do with Black history or stand on a the periphery of the to as the "Spot-the-Stars" syn- (like Ed Asner's troubled captain toa degree. The major virtue of th.e any o~her topic of importance, but show's plot developments. They drcme. Hey there, isn't that Lou or Sandy. Duncan's grossly gushy TV presentation, however" is that It were Instead only another episode ar-a basically smothered by a Grant loading the slaves on board? but well-intentioned Missy Anne) called even mor~ attentt~n to a of Charlie's Angels? format which treats the story like a And over there, isn't that Pa are going to turn hypocritical and- oook that remains a milestone The reason I pose all of these soap opera. More often than not, a Cartwright instilling a little or vicious before long. Indeed, one accomplishment both in research questions is that, high ratings and violent or emotionally searing discipline among the recruited ?f the major (and only) surprises and in presenting the little-seen huge audience notwithstanding, scene (Kunta's whipping, Kizzy's help at the homestead? And isn't in the show ISthe appearance in the human side of history. HistheAlex the TV Roots suffers from some rape, the slaves on the ship that the father on "The Brady finaltwohoursofadecent-seeming Haley book itself that deserves to very deep and serious flaws, both swearing revenge) is used as a Bunch" and one of TV's major White couple who really are nice! be discussed in terms of the as a representation of Haley's book teaser for tomorrow night's show, bastions of the nuclear family, It is especially interesting to note changes it has made or can andas a work of its own. In-fact the and it leaves one to wonder as to breaking up a slave family? that the wife in the couple tries to potentially make in American race first episode, which showed Kunta whether or not ABC, too, isn't The actors themselves in this teach a bitter Black child not to relations. As for the TV special, it Kinte's African manhood training exploiting slavery in order to grow case are given no help by the ex- hate all Whites for the brutality of had the highest Neilsen rating in and capture by slavers almost audience tobacco on its own treme two-dimensionality of most some or even most of them. A history, but where do you go from completely trashes not only that plantation. of their roles and dialogue. There is wonderful object lesson, and if the there? portion of the book but, sub- The best performances in the no doubt that slavery was one of predominately-white writers and Comments on this review ara wei sequently, the very traditions show are, not surprisingly, those of the most monstrous institutions directors of Roots had been sitting .come- Pleasa send all corre.pondanee which HaJey so carefully com- many of the Black actors. LeVar ever devised by person against next to the child when the Jariv was !IO: SCRIMSHAW, BOK 3A. ******************************** N,n'VM"""SCOOP on Rodstein : Over· the· 'Je!~}ril~e"nShop i to the floor in a frenzy * In lhe life of every reporter there lead-?" quotes written on my forehead. * leG/IS 99(- 57.99 .Paraphernalia Jewelr;y * is one interview which they He looked at me, surprised, and Falling the * 500/0 off on oil Jackets, leother * of :- a inevitable botch up. Most of these said, "I don't know, 1didn't eat writer's cramp, I wrote across ~~v=~b~:i~~P;~~\~~i~~!:s~~~ ~:~aWy~~~~:~e~;Z:i~t~Ili~~~~ cm:~t until r ~ealized t~at 1 was :alld suede,ulltil they're all gOllet* a firsthand account of how lOmake question. I had been researching :~~n:~:elif:I~~~~e~;~~;~~:: He begar *" ' ,. 861-8:76 .. . * :- 1 a fool of yourself without really this man for three days, and all 1 Rodstem's sweatpants. HOlliS .. TIil'sda.l-SlIllda.l /2-6.]0 ~~~ pen in hand and heart in ~~~l;a:nd ~tey~~ w::: br~~~ to look annoyed when I ran out 01* East Q(l Rt. /·/.0, after lIght Q' RI. 91,turn rtghlo/ FlfIhf,llrg t!u("/wn*, throat (or was it my lunch?) I r fumbled through my notes. ~::'~~~e~~~~~r~~e;t'~:~ge?f~r~i~ *******************************" walked across the quad. My managing to drop them on the colle~ted m·yself. I had my story, destination was the Bachelor floor. As I bent to pick them upmy that IS, he had my story, lLiDRItS®~"11 section, and I,a mere cub reporter, pencil fe;ll and with the grace of a .... • ~a~~~~~i~gcW~:;i~wt~e~i~~ ~o;c~~e!~~;n~Se:~i:.kIiC:::w~=~ -;:i~ ~:~f~~~l~ t~ ~e::k:d~:ak~i~ weserve_.. .&.,' .J ' floor. Bolstering my courage I after it, wondering if Woodward desk and turning, collided with his JWtN KISS raised my fist to knock against the and Bernstein has these problems arm. 'I thought he was trying to door. Unlortuantely the door was He peered und{.l11eath the chair beat me up until 1 realized he was open, a situation which killed the and said, "Exactly what are you trying to hold the door open for me. BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER drama of my entrance. doing down there?" Without Thanking him again 1 went off to "Come in," he said. And there he batting an eye 1 said, "Would you collect my notes, write my story, was, the President. The man who believe I was picking lint olI the and change my name. I thought of runs not only the government bottom of your shoes?" He signed something with a ring to it. like .,- under which we live, but the and said, "I'dbeJieveit." Ijotted it say, Barbara Walters. fraternity under which we party. downinmynotes: PesidentofSGA He was six feet tall and Istared up, has faith in students, P;ZZI DIy-Tuesday awestruck, until to my horror 1 Gathering my wits about me, r realized Iwas staring at the ceiling managed to stammer out a general Spaghltti Day - Wedntsdav Oi""'" because he was sitting down which question about lhe SGA's ac- WITHIN WALKING mST ANCE frantically, . made him shorter than I I im- complishments. To say the least, . mediately sat down, wondering he was not a man who believed in . exactly, how one went about monosyllables. EARLE H. BREWER, !"ROP •• Oprn 6a.m...da.i1y except Sundays 7 a.m, questioning the leader. r began to scribble "I'll be with you in a minute," he struggling to keep up. Paper after * H6,lR eUTS ".,. AF'!"OINTMENT * lay said. 1 .took in the important talked and still I wrote; on and on . PHONE BUS. 848_2820 . ream ream paper, after Jt details. He was wearing sweat- scattered on the floor. Still he NEWLY REMODELED" Route 140 pants, Eagerly chewing my pencil Jt !';6'/. WEST MAIN ST Westminster I stub 1 managed to ask a coherent Out of paper, 1 wrote on my arm JtWESTMINSTER. MAI1YI..ANO 211571- EXPANDED SEATING 84S-911O question. "Do you like the taste of across my sweater; I had direct ••••••••••••• Jt